LAHORE, Nov 8: The Government College University Syndicate on Saturday paved the way for the restoration of nine students expelled and booked for leading a protest demonstration against the GCU administration.

The syndicate held an ‘emergent meeting’ to consider a Lahore High Court direction (to the GCU) to consider the case of the expelled students sympathetically in order to secure their future.

The syndicate decided that parents of the nine students would submit appeals before the syndicate for their wards’ restoration on university rolls.

A source said the syndicate members had taken a sympathetic view with regard to the withdrawal of the case as well as students’ restoration.

GCU Registrar Sahibzada Faisal Khurshid confirmed the syndicate meeting, and said it had taken the decision in line with the LHC order which was received by the university on Friday.

He said the court had called him in person and he would inform the judge on Nov 14 about the steps taken by the university.

The source told Dawn that the university syndicate wanted to resolve the issue at the earliest. The syndicate was told that the university had received representations from students and now it would call their parents and receive their appeals to empower the syndicate to take a decision in favour of the students.

It is learnt that the syndicate was reminded that it must ensure that the expelled students’ as well as those whose cases were pending with the disciplinary committee were allowed to take their third semester mid-term exams scheduled for Nov 12.

The source said the university might consider holding a special examination for the nine students afterwards. The syndicate also discussed university’s discipline in general as well.

During the meeting, it is reliably learnt, Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Aftab gave a presentation to the syndicate members about changing the name of the university.

The source said the VC proposed that the Government College University should be re-named either as Ravi University or Ravian University.

They said the VC had given a multi-media presentation about the proposal, because the syndicate members had sought a formal proposal before considering the matter for discussion.

The source said the matter would be thrashed further before taking a final decision.

Registrar Faisal Khurshid, however, told Dawn that the VC had not given any presentation to the syndicate over re-naming the GCU.